IDUKKI: Putting to rest the guessing game over evictions in Munnar, the demolition juggernaut on Thursday began rolling over illegal encroachments and constructions in the hill station.
As per the directive of Devikulam Sub- Collector Sriram Venkitaraman, a team of Revenue officers evicted encroachments in nearly 30 acres of land held by a Christian sect, ‘Spirit in Jesus’, in Pappathishola hills near Suryanelli in Chinnakanal village, around 25 km from Munnar town.
The Revenue team tore down a concrete basement and an iron cross erected atop the hill and removed two temporary sheds reportedly used as prayer halls.
Express had earlier reported about the encroachment, which was scheduled for summary eviction by the District Collector. The eviction drive, under the aegis of Devikulam tahsildar P K Shaji and Udumbanchola additional tahsildar P K Shaji, began around 4 am and lasted till noon.
Unlike the V S Achuthanandan Government’s Munnar Mission in 2007, the entire operation this time was a well-oiled machine, causing no hue and cry.
Keeping the move highly confidential till morning, the officers did not pass any information on the eviction site even to the police.
The Revenue team arrived at Suryanelli town around 4.30 am with a platoon of police force, including Kerala Armed Police (KAP), from Idukki. They reached the site with the help of a few local residents.
The police also imposed a curfew as a precautionary step to avoid any resistance from encroachers.
The team held the Spirit in Jesus members under an unofficial house arrest at their rented residences in Suryanelli.
The officers removed three ‘followers’ of the sect who were offering prayers near the cross. However, encroachers tried to block the team by parking a car and making trenches on the narrow route leading to the hill.
With the help of an earthmover, Revenue officers cleared the way and reached the hill top by 6 am.
Interestingly, the CPM and the CPI local satraps were in opposite poles over the eviction in Pappathishola. While CPI district secretary K Sivaraman welcomed the action, CPM district secretary K K Jayachandran came down heavily against the Revenue officers for conducting the eviction early morning and promulgating Section 144 without any intimation.